Top Radio, TV closed
TOP TV, Top Radio and Kampala FM have been taken off air for failing to pay licence fees.
By Herbert Ssempogo
TOP TV, Top Radio and Kampala FM have been taken off air for failing to pay licence fees.
They were switched off by the Broadcasting Council yesterday. Their equipment was seized by the council’s operations manager, Dennis Lukaaya, at Kololo Hill for allegedly failing to pay licence fees.
“They have been disconnected for failure to pay licence fees for the year 2005/2006. They have received demand notices but they have not responded,†Lukaaya said.
The licence expired in January. Television stations pay sh5m per year, while radios pay sh3m in licence fees.
Lukaaya said the stations are owned by the Christian Life Ministries of Pastor Jackson Ssenyoga.
He said they flouted regulations by shifting their transmission site without notice.
“All these machines were supposed to be at their studios in Naguru but they are now here at the transmission site, which is wrong. We were not informed,†he said.
He said Top Radio and Kampala FM had been transferred from their original studios and planted at the home of Christian Life Ministries in Bwaise.
Lukaaya said all the three media houses were “bedevilled†by chronic management problems.
“There has not been sufficient care for the employees.
“About 30 employees have come to us complaining about various matters,†he said.
Yesterday, a man sat before a television, mixer, two decks and an assortment of videotapes in what could have been a control room.
He looked shaken as an engineer disconnected the gadgets in the box-like room.
“I did not know that it was wrong to transmit from here. My boss just told me that we should start operating from here,†the man, dressed in black, said.
He added that the manager, Paul Seruwagi, would offer more information. But he was not available for comment.
In 2003, the Broadcasting Council stopped the transmission of some media houses owned by the same organisation for failure to clear their licence fees.
Ends
TOP TV, Top Radio and Kampala FM have been taken off air for failing to pay licence fees.
They were switched off by the Broadcasting Council yesterday. Their equipment was seized by the council’s operations manager, Dennis Lukaaya, at Kololo Hill for allegedly failing to pay licence fees.
“They have been disconnected for failure to pay licence fees for the year 2005/2006. They have received demand notices but they have not responded,†Lukaaya said.
The licence expired in January. Television stations pay sh5m per year, while radios pay sh3m in licence fees.
Lukaaya said the stations are owned by the Christian Life Ministries of Pastor Jackson Ssenyoga.
He said they flouted regulations by shifting their transmission site without notice.
“All these machines were supposed to be at their studios in Naguru but they are now here at the transmission site, which is wrong. We were not informed,†he said.
He said Top Radio and Kampala FM had been transferred from their original studios and planted at the home of Christian Life Ministries in Bwaise.
Lukaaya said all the three media houses were “bedevilled†by chronic management problems.
“There has not been sufficient care for the employees.
“About 30 employees have come to us complaining about various matters,†he said.
Yesterday, a man sat before a television, mixer, two decks and an assortment of videotapes in what could have been a control room.
He looked shaken as an engineer disconnected the gadgets in the box-like room.
“I did not know that it was wrong to transmit from here. My boss just told me that we should start operating from here,†the man, dressed in black, said.
He added that the manager, Paul Seruwagi, would offer more information. But he was not available for comment.
In 2003, the Broadcasting Council stopped the transmission of some media houses owned by the same organisation for failure to clear their licence fees.
Ends